Never Saw
by PrincessFi
Summary: An unusual occurrence reveals a different side to Gibbs and DiNozzo's relationship. Slash but not explicit.
1. Chapter 1

_This story was inspired by Lila-Blue's "Never Saw it Coming". Lila not only kindly gave me permission to use her idea, but was good enough to beta for me._

_While this is my first published "slash" story, I'd like to think that it was as much about the characters as themselves as it is about "slashiness". And it's really not very slashy anyway! Please feel free to review, including any constructive criticism._

_I will post it in 2 parts._

********

She'd been at work for 36 hours straight and all Kate wanted to do was go home and undo her bra. Anyone who thought that at the end of a long day women wanted to get home so they could kick off their shoes obviously hadn't worn an underwire for more than 24 hours, she thought grimly.

She took her time in the ladies' room, brushing her hair, cleaning her teeth and applying a subdued tea-rose lipstick. She might be doing nothing more than going home, but a liberal application of strong hold hairspray might be all that kept her head from exploding before she got there. Her only consolation was that the rest of the team were just as tired and looked just as bad. McGee was barely able to keep his eyes open and DiNozzo had changed into his last clean shirt 12 hours before.

Taking a deep breath, she re-entered the bullpen and her eyes fell on Gibbs. Her eyebrows shot up, and after a moment, her mouth quirked. Was this it? she thought. Had this case achieved what nothing else had? Had it exhausted even Gibbs?

It was strange to see him slumped boneless in the chair - hell, his posture was normally so straight you could make pleats with it. But somehow it seemed wrong to her to say something about him acting... well, normal.

And then, just as Kate reached her desk, he whistled.

Her head shot around to look at him.

"Lookin' good there, Kate," Gibbs commented with a grin. "Got a date?"

"Um, no, actually." Kate hesitated – she was too close to home to blow it now. "There's not something I'm supposed to be working on is there?"

"Nope." Gibbs spun the chair around. "Nada. Zip. Zero."

Kate flashed a look at McGee, but he looked as clueless as she felt.

She had to say something, so she went for neutral. "You're in a good mood."

"Yeah." He stopped spinning and looked at her, head tilted, almost perplexed. "I am."

"And you're in a good mood because we wrapped up the case...?"

Gibbs got to his feet and staggered slightly, holding on to the desk. He frowned down at his legs as if they were not doing what he wanted them to do.

Surely he's not drunk? Kate thought incredulously. All I've seen him drink all day is coffee!

Then DiNozzo walked into the bullpen and Gibbs' face lit up like it was Christmas.

"Tony!"

You could have heard a pin drop. Tony froze for about half a second, green eyes as round as saucers. Then he took a long look at Gibbs.

"Get Ducky."

Kate looked from Tony's wide eyes to Gibbs' grin. "What?"

"Get Ducky NOW."

Tony moved quickly to Gibbs' right-hand desk drawer and opened it, flinging a small, black kit on the desktop. Then with utmost care he settled Gibbs back in the chair and knelt down before him.

"Hey, Boss. You take your insulin today?"

At Tony's words, Kate unfroze, moving quickly around her desk, grabbing the phone and pressing the button for autopsy.

She looked up in time to see Gibbs' hand move shakily to stroke Tony's cheek. Tony reached up and gently forced the hand down.

"Gibbs, listen to me," Tony said quietly, turning Gibbs' hand over in his. "I've got to check your blood sugar."

Kate hung up the phone and moved closer to Tony, noticing a shimmer of perspiration on Gibbs' forehead and upper lip.

"How much coffee did he drink today?"

"What?"

Tony snapped out the question again. "How much coffee has he had?"

"I don't know. A lot. Why?"

"Too much caffeine masks the hypoglycaemic symptoms." He professionally lanced the finger held between his own. "He can go into insulin shock and you don't notice 'til he's not making sense."

Tony glanced down at the monitor and cursed at the result. Gibbs stared at his injured hand with intense fascination for a moment, before reaching again to stroke Tony's face.

Ducky arrived and slid between the pair, putting his own fingers expertly on Gibbs' carotid. "What's the reading?"

Tony held the reader toward him in answer.

"Ambulance?" asked Ducky quietly, keeping his fingertips on the pulse point.

Gibbs seemed oblivious to both Ducky and the commotion as he continued smiling softly at Tony.

"He'll hate that," Tony objected. "Can't we get him stabilised here? I'll stay and monitor him. If anything changes, I'll call an ambulance straight away, I promise."

Ducky sighed and then conceded. "Where are his glucose pills?" he asked.

Tony stood up and fished in his pocket for a flat pill case. "Here."

"Jethro?"

Gibbs finally noticed Ducky, turning to smile at him.

"I need you to swallow these."

When there was no response, he shook him a little.

"Jethro."

The tone was more insistent, but still there was no reply. Ducky glanced at Tony and gave an apologetic shrug.

Tony knelt down again. "Boss," he said softly. Gibbs turned to Tony and smiled again. A little unsteadily he raised both hands and cupped Tony's face, staring at him as if memorizing every feature.

"Boss, I need you to take these pills," Tony coaxed gently. He held out his hand, two white pills resting on one fingertip.

Gibbs glanced down and saw the pills. He looked back at Tony with a slight frown.

"Please?" Tony urged. "For me?"

A glint of mischief appeared in Gibbs' eyes. Ducking his head he took the pills, and the tip of Tony's finger, into his mouth.

Tony slowly drew his hand back, but the pills stayed in Gibbs' mouth. "Atta boy," he praised softly. Then he glanced around, noticing the stunned looks on the faces of Kate and McGee.

"We need to get him down to Abby's lab," Ducky interjected, breaking what was threatening to become a very uncomfortable silence.

Tony stood and turned to McGee. "Probie, get over here and give me a hand," he ordered. "Kate, call Abby and tell her to unfold the futon in her office."

McGee and Tony each took one of Gibbs' arms and slowly drew him to his feet. He swayed for a moment before righting himself. Tony put one of Gibbs' arms over his shoulder and his own arm around Gibbs' waist. McGee moved to do the same.

But Gibbs pulled from him, wrapped his other arm around Tony's middle and turned his face into Tony's neck.

Tony rolled his eyes and wrapped him arms firmly around the Team Leader. "Okay Boss," he conceded, "but you're no lightweight." He took a few steps and glanced back. "Stay close Probie. I don't want to drop him."

McGee did, and with Ducky and Kate following behind they made their way slowly to the elevator. Kate glanced around but the rest of the floor was empty – a small mercy granted to those who worked till the small hours of the morning.

When they entered the elevator Tony leaned back against the wall and Gibbs promptly draped himself over him, eyes closed, head resting in the crook of Tony's neck. Tony kept his eyes fixed on the illuminated numbers above the doors, not shifting his gaze even when gently removing the hand that Gibbs slipped up inside his shirt.

Abby pounced on them as soon as they entered her lad, moving immediately to Gibbs' side to help, or possibly hinder, Tony's efforts to navigate the wilting Team Leader past the equipment.

She had opened out the futon, and a pillow sat at its head and a blanket near its foot.

Tony carefully disengaged Gibbs' arms and sat him on to the bed. But as he tried to move away Gibbs tightened his grip on Tony's shirt, pulling Tony forwards.

With a sigh, Tony steadied himself. "You need to lie down, Boss," he murmured encouragingly into Gibbs' ear. "I won't go anywhere, just lie back."

Slowly Gibbs released him. Tony put one had on Gibbs' chest and one behind his head and pushed him gently backwards. True to his word, he then sat on the edge of the bed near the pillow and ran a quick hand through Gibbs' hair.

"See, still here," he confirmed.

"He's being all ..." Abby commented, frowning.

"Yep," Tony responded shortly, not looking up.

"Just like last time."

"And the time before," Ducky added.

Tony shot him a glance and the ME fell silent. Then he sat on the side of the bed and began examining the patient.

"Go home," Tony ordered, shooting a look at McGee and Kate. "You too, Abby."

Kate opened her mouth to protest, but Abby gave her a gentle nudge. She glanced around, and the Goth tilted her head quickly back out to the lab. Kate closed her mouth and followed her. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw Tony run his hand again over Gibbs' hair. Then the office door slid closed.

Kate turned, questions bubbling to her lips.

"Not here," Abby hissed. Grabbing one arm each of Kate and McGee, she dragged them into the elevator, stopping to snatch up her coat and bag on the way past.

"What the.....!"

The words burst forth from McGee as soon as Abby's hand hit the emergency stop button.

Kate raised her arm and gestured back in the direction of the lab. "Abby, what...?"

"Just stop, both of you." Abby held up her hands, demanding silence and getting it. She drew a deep breath. "It's not what you think..."

"I think Gibbs was all over Tony like white on rice," McGee interrupted heatedly. "And Tony was letting him do it!"

"It's not like that! It's just when his blood sugar drops ...!" Abby protested.

"Abby," Kate interjected. "Has this happened before?"

Abby gave a miserable nod. "Twice that I know of. Once I saw. The other Ducky told me about after." She shrugged. "When Gibbs' blood sugar ditches, he gets all... affectionate."

"He wasn't affectionate to me," McGee countered.

"To Tony," Abby corrected. "He gets affectionate to Tony."

Kate tilted her head and looked at Abby, who was gazing at her boots. "So, are they.... do they....?"

Abby shook her head. "No," she murmured sadly. "When Gibbs wakes up, he's his usual old self again. He doesn't remember."

There was a moment of silence

"Doesn't Tony say anything about it?" Now McGee was with the program.

Abby vigorously shook head. "No way. No-one does. Tony is adamant. He says that no-one can mention it because Gibbs would be embarrassed."

"But if that's how Gibbs feels about him...?"

"Tony says it's not how he feels – it's just the blood sugar ditch. So he won't let anyone say anything."

There was silence.

"So they're not....?" McGee asked.

Abby's pigtails swung as she shook her head again.

"And Gibbs really doesn't remember?" Kate asked doubtfully.

Abby nodded, and then tilted her head, frowning. "At least, he says he doesn't remember. If he does remember but he is saying he doesn't ...." Her eyes narrowed and nostrils flared.

Kate paused. As far as she could tell, Gibbs was not homophobic. He was generally no more or less a bastard to gay people than he was to straight people. She had never heard him make any comment on gays in the military, or use a derogatory epithet to describe homosexuals. But he'd been married – quite a few times, so he couldn't possibly be... Could he?

Or was it possible that Gibbs only had those feelings when his blood sugar plummeted? Was it possible that these feeling were caused by a chemical imbalance? Low blood sugar, like alcohol or drugs, could affect behaviour, make a person less inhibited and more open (her own youthful indiscretions had taught her that) but could it make someone express an emotion they did not otherwise feel?

Or perhaps what Gibbs was expressing was simply affection, not desire?

She ventured that opinion. "Perhaps it's just a kind of ... brotherly or fatherly affection?"

Abby and McGee both looked at her.

"Your father ever look at you like that, Kate?" McGee responded rhetorically. "Mine didn't."

Her mind flashed back to the look in Gibbs' eyes when he had cupped Tony's face. For a second she remembered the last time someone had looked at her like that. There was no mistaking that look.

She knew about Rule 12 – it was the first of Gibbs' rules that she had learned, and she learned it the hard way. Was that at play here? But that presupposed a romantic interest – towards Tony. Was that even possible? And what did Tony feel about it?

All at once the underwire in her bra seemed to stab into her brain, right behind her eye.

"I can't deal with this now," she declared, hitting the button to start the lift. "I am just too exhausted. I'll think about it tomorrow."

Neither McGee nor Abby demurred. They didn't speak again until they parted ways in the carpark, when they exchanged muted goodbyes.

FF_1569342_647915355


	2. Chapter 2

**Never Saw 2**

The next day Abby arrived early. Entering the lab she saw the outline of a shape lying on the futon. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom of her office she also made out a pair of legs, stretching away from the bed to the corner of the room. She crept forward. Tony sat in a chair near the foot of the bed, longs legs stretched out onto the mattress, hands hanging down and head back. He snored quietly.

As if aware of her presence, Gibbs stirred.

Tony's eyes snapped open and he moved from the chair to the bed in an instant.

Gibbs blinked a few times then peered up at Tony though half open eyes. "What..?" he croaked.

"You had a hypo, Boss. Too much coffee and – boom, down you went. Ducky got you stabilised and we thought you'd rather sleep it off here than in hospital."

Gibbs gave a quiet groan.

"How do you feel?' Tony pressed.

Gibbs fixed him with a glare. "Like shit, DiNozzo."

Okay, Abby thought, normal service had been resumed.

"What's the last thing you remember?" she blurted out.

Tony's head shot around. Gibbs moved more slowly to look at her, turning his head to face her where she stood in the doorway to the office.

"That doesn't matter...." Tony began.

"We brought Fisher in for questioning," Gibbs responded blurrily. Then he started. "Did we get him? Did he confess?"

"You got him," Tony corrected. "Took about an hour, but he cracked. It's all done and dusted Boss."

Gibbs grunted in approval.

Tony hesitated, then asked, "Is that the last the last thing you remember?"

Gibbs gave a weary nod.

"I'd better check your blood sugar again," Tony said briskly, turning his head away to look for the kit. "Ducky is due an update." Abby's stomach gave a wrench at Tony's businesslike demeanour.

"No need," a Scottish voice interjected. Ducky strolled into the office, removing his hat and dropping it on to the bed. Tony quickly stood up and moved away. He ran his hand through his hair and across his face.

Ducky glanced at him. "Why don't you go and have a shower, Anthony? It must have been a long night for you."

Tony nodded and went to move, before pausing. He looked back at Gibbs, now lying with his eyes closed, and then at Ducky.

"Same drill as last time, Duck."

He waited until the ME gave a reluctant nod before moving off. As he brushed past Abby, she graced him with a quick kiss on the cheek.

****

Ducky pronounced Gibbs fit for desk work but reserved the right to object if a case came in requiring field work. And he strictly forbade both driving and coffee.

The first was not a problem – no new case came in, and there was enough paper work on the Fisher case to keep the team busy for the rest of the day. The second was harder. Gibbs already felt rough – the hypo had left him tired and with a headache that was aggravated by the lack of caffeine.

He also had a lingering sense of unease – he hated not remembering what had happened in those late hours the previous night. Listening to the recording of the interview with Fisher had brought back snatches of the evening but not all of it. And he had no idea what he had done to make McGee and Kate act as if he might grow another head at any moment. Only Tony was behaving normally – or what passed as normal for him. If anything he was a little too cheerful, which also didn't help Gibbs' headache.

Even Abby was acting strangely. When he went down to visit her she kept staring silently at him, as though she was waiting for something. Too tired to deal with one of her labyrinthine explanations, he decided to leave it. But she didn't.

"Gibbs?" she demanded, as he turned to leave.

"What?" he spat back.

She went quiet and ducked her eyes and he felt a stab of guilt that no-one else had ever been able to engender in him.

"Sorry Abs," he said gently, stepping in to kiss her on the cheek. "What's up?"

She tilted her head and gave him an apologetic smile. "I know you still feel bad Boss, but...."

"But?" he prompted.

"Tony was really good to you last night. He looked after you. He was the one who worked out what was wrong, he stopped Ducky taking you to hospital and he got you to take your sugar pills when Ducky couldn't..."

Gibbs started. "Why wouldn't I take them?"

Abby hesitated. "Oh, umm, I don't know, I wasn't there. But the others said that you were really out of it and wouldn't take them but Tony convinced you to. And he stayed here all night keeping an eye on you...."

He interrupted. "Abby, what's this about?"

She fixed him with green eyes that they never failed to melt his heart. "Did you say "thank you"?" she asked quietly.

Damn.

He hadn't.

And she knew it.

He sighed. "I will," he vowed. "I promise, Abs."

She nodded and stole a quick peck on his cheek. Then she paused again. She opened her mouth but closed it without speaking.

"Abs?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing," she lied. "You go. Express gratitude. Right now."

He returned to the bullpen in time to hear the closing words of a quiet but intense argument between his agents.

"Just drop it," he heard Tony hiss. "It's none of you damned business, so keep out of it."

Gibbs could count on one hand the number of times he had heard Tony sound genuinely angry. Even if he hadn't already resolved to speak to him, that would have been enough to make him take him aside.

"DiNozzo," he barked, "with me."

Tony sprang to his feet and exchanged a panicked glance with Kate. Even McGee's head shot up, eyes wide with alarm.

"Boss," Tony gabbled. "How long, I mean what did you....?"

"With me!" Gibbs repeated emphatically, turning on his heel and stalking back to the elevator. He didn't need to look over his shoulder to know that his Senior Agent was following him.

Tony started talking as soon as the elevator came to a halt. "Boss, I don't know what you heard, but Kate..."

"I didn't hear anything, DiNozzo," Gibbs interrupted mildly.

Tony started. "Then why.... I mean, I assumed... ?"

Gibbs stepped up and gave him a very gentle slap on the head. "Never assume," he said quietly.

Tony finally got the message and stayed silent.

Gibbs mouth twitched in what might have been a slight smile.

"I got you in here, DiNozzo, to say "thank you"." It was worth it just for the stunned expression on Tony's face. "I know that it was you who picked up what was wrong with me and convinced Ducky not to take me to hospital. So... thanks."

Gibbs could almost see the emotions flashing across Tony's face. Confusion, surprise, a little embarrassment. And something else, a hesitancy, almost a wariness. Like Abby, as if he was expecting more.

"Tony?"

Tony snapped out of it. "No problem, Boss, really. I mean, you've looked after me often enough."

Gibbs gave a slight grin in acknowledgement of the truth of the statement. He reached out to hit the Emergency Stop button, but hesitated.

"One thing, though."

Tony visible stiffened.

Gibbs continued. "Abby said you got me to take my pills when Ducky couldn't. How did you do that?"

Tony opened and closed his mouth a few times before anything came out. "I just... just, you know, asked, and showed you the pills, and umm... you just, you know, took them." He grinned broadly, as if his answer made sense.

Gibbs stared at him, processing the response, listening for what wasn't there. Which was a heck of a lot.

The grin faded and the fidgeting started.

Gibbs didn't need to speak.

"Really, Boss," Tony began, "it was nothing. I just held the pills out to you and you took them."

Gibbs nodded slowly. "Okay, Tony," he responded. He leant forward slowly and released the button, setting the elevator in motion. Tony gave a small exhalation and his shoulders relaxed. Gibbs smiled inwardly. It wasn't over.

****

The next morning, Gibbs felt like a new man. And he was a man with a mission. Nowhere near as computer illiterate as he made out, his early arrival gave him the time and the privacy to do what he wanted. His high level security clearance helped too.

The picture from the security cameras was grainy but there was no mistaking what he saw. He saw the moment the sugar ditch hit and his body slumped in his seat. He saw the looks of shock and concern on the faces of McGee and Kate. He saw Tony walk in to the bullpen, stop and look at him. A slow feeling of dread began building his stomach but he could not look away. He saw Tony settle him in his chair and prick his finger. He saw Ducky arrive and take his pulse. He saw Tony hold out the pills and he saw him take them. He saw Tony and McGee help him stand and he saw how he turned away from McGee to hold on to Tony. He saw them walking as a group to the lift and then they disappeared from view.

And through it all he saw his eyes fixed on Tony. He saw his hands stroke and cup Tony's face. He saw his arms wrap around Tony's waist. And he saw him take Tony's finger between his lips.

He closed the file on his computer and shut his eyes. Well, now he knew. God damn it. What the hell was he meant to do, now that he knew?

He heard the elevator chime and pulled his chair into his desk. He fixed his eyes resolutely on the file on his desk. Please, he thought, please....

"Morning Boss."

The fates were against him.

"Mornin' DiNozzo," he responded shortly, not looking up.

He waited until the other team members had arrived then picked up his coffee cup from the desk and walked through the bullpen.

"Boss?"

Tony's voice stopped him. Now he had to look. He glanced over. His hand tightened on his cup.

"What, DiNozzo?"

"Umm, sorry Boss, but Ducky said you're restricted to decaf, remember?"

Gibbs looked at him a second longer than necessary.

"I remember, DiNozzo."

He resumed his walk from the bullpen.

Ducky was hanging his hat on the hook by the door when Gibbs entered autopsy.

"Good morning, Jethro," he said cheerfully. "How are you feeling today?"

"Fine," Gibbs responded shortly. "We need to talk."

"A case?"

"No. Not a case."

Ducky looked at him with a steady gaze. "I see," he commented slowly. "Have a seat."

Gibbs followed him and took the chair beside the desk. He glanced over at the door.

"Mr Palmer will not be in till 10.00am," he advised, correctly reading Gibbs' hesitation. "He has a class this morning."

Gibbs nodded.

Ducky waited.

Gibbs shuffled his feet. He drew a slow breath. Finally he spoke.

"I saw the security video."

Ducky frowned.

"Of the other night," Gibbs explained. "I saw what happened in the bullpen, when I had the hypo. I saw.... what I did. To Tony."

"Oh," was Ducky's mild reply.

"Oh?" Gibbs repeated. "That's it? That's all you've got to say?" He slapped a hand on the desk. "Why the hell didn't you say anything? Why didn't you tell me?"

Ducky shrugged and held out his hands in a gesture of supplication. "Well, after the second time..."

"The second time?" Gibbs started. "What do you mean "the second time"?"

Ducky closed his eyes and rubbed a hand across his forehead. He took a moment before speaking. "Do you remember the first attack you had after Tony started, we were investigating a case in Richmond?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Well, that was the first time. Anthony was with you, and you were.... you were very affectionate to him. But when you awoke you had no memory of it and your behaviour returned to normal. Anthony and I spoke about it and agreed it might just have been an anomaly. But then it happened again, during the Westbridge case."

"Why didn't you say anything then?" Gibbs asked incredulously.

Ducky shook his head. "Because Anthony demanded my silence. He was very insistent about it. And at the time I agreed with him."

"Why?"

"Because neither of us quite knew what was happening. If your behaviour was just the product of the sugar ditch, as Anthony insisted, he was right that you would be terribly embarrassed by it. You gave no indication of having those sorts of feelings at other times and when I tried to speak to you about it you made it quite clear that the subject was off limits."

Gibbs' mind flashed back to a few aborted conversations with Ducky. One was about Tony's flirting and whether it bothered him. That had simply earned the ME an incredulous look. The second had been when Tony had been injured. Ducky's oblique comment about Gibbs' tender care for his Senior Agent had not justified the stinging rebuke it received, but it had done the job. The topic had not been raised again.

Gibbs sighed and ran a hand over his face.

But Ducky had not finished. "And of course it was not just your feelings that I was concerned with. I had no idea how Anthony felt. He was so sure that you couldn't possibly care for him in that way, so determined to prevent you knowing.... He convinced me to say nothing, and between us we convinced Abby."

Gibbs' collapse during the Westbridge case had occurred in Abby's lab. He didn't recall it himself, but apparently he had "gone down like a bag of spuds", as Abby had colourfully described it. And Tony had caught him on the way down.

Gibbs shook his head. He didn't know what he had expected to hear from Ducky but this wasn't it. Had he hoped that Ducky would give him an excuse, some "plausible deniability" for his behaviour? But he knew that, even if Ducky had done so, he would never have accepted it. He knew what his feelings were. He might keep them to himself, but he knew.

Ducky waited.

"So what do I do now, Duck?" Gibbs asked rhetorically. "I just go on pretending not to know?"

"What do you want to do?" was the quiet response.

When there was no answer, Ducky pushed. "What is it that is holding you back?"

"Exactly what you said," Gibbs shot back. "Who know how Tony feels? I mean, he clearly didn't want to say anything about it...."

"Is that all?"

"And Rule 12. That exists for a reason Ducky. Even if, and it's a big if, even if Tony was interested, he's on my team. He's my Senior Agent for god's sake."

Ducky paused for a moment, and then spoke slowly.

"Tony's feelings are what they are. You can't change them. But if you were satisfied that he felt the same, would you let Rule 12 stop you? I know you're stubborn enough to give up your own happiness, but would you sacrifice his as well?"

****

His conversation with Ducky played over and over in Gibbs' head; a constant repetition of "woulds" and "coulds" and "shouldn'ts". Finally he forced himself to approach the question with some semblance of logic. The whole debate was moot if Tony did not return his feelings. In a way, that would be easier. He could shut them down, these annoying, traitorous glimpses of how it would feel, what it would be like if....

It was Friday and the team was delighted when he sent them home at 6.00. He needed privacy again and time to think. When the bullpen was quiet he re-opened the file of the security footage. This time, instead of watching himself, he watched Tony. He watched the gentleness with which he sat him back in the chair and performed the blood test. Watched him not pull away as Gibbs stroked his face. Watched the small twitch of the lips that might have been a smile as Gibbs took the pills from his finger.

Then he froze the image and leant forward. When he had first watched the footage all he had seen was the rapt and entranced look on his own face. Now he saw, thought he saw, hoped he saw, the same emotion reflected back at him. Or was it just wishful thinking? If the person caring for him had been Ducky or McGee or Stan, how would they have reacted to his behaviour? Still careful, he knew that, still considerate. But there would have been a discomfort in them, an awkwardness, a touch of embarrassment. There was none of that from Tony. He was gazing at Gibbs as though his Boss stroking his face was not just normal, but welcome. Was it?

"So now you know."

Gibbs jumped. It was rare for anyone to be able to sneak up on him. The fact that it was Abby in her enormous platform boots was evidence of just how distracted he was.

She settled herself on the corner of his desk and looked at the image on the screen and then at him. Gibbs moved his hand to the mouse, intending to close the file, but Abby spoke again.

"You break his heart, you know?"

Her voice was low and sad, but her words were emphatic.

"Every time you wake up and don't remember and push him away again, you break his heart." She glanced at the screen. "Ducky doesn't see it, but I do. When you start to wake up, there's this moment of expectation, as if he's wondering if this time... But then you open your eyes and you snarl and snap at him and he smiles and joke about it. And it starts again. But every time you do it, you break his heart, just a little."

She looked hard at Gibbs. "Is that what you needed to know?"

He nodded.

"Then fix it," she whispered. Leaning forward, she kissed him gently on the temple and left.

*****

The knock on his door woke Tony from a light doze on the sofa. He hadn't caught up on the sleep he had missed the night he spent in the chair by the side of Gibbs' bed. This weekend, he had resolved, was going to involve a lot of sleeping. And, given recent events and despite any feeble resolutions otherwise, probably a fair bit of "relaxing".

He dragged himself off the sofa and over to the door. He opened it without thinking.

"What did I tell you about checking first?" Gibbs growled.

Tony stared at him, suddenly self conscious in his cut off sweats and no shirt.

"Well?" came the order.

"Um, I ah, should... check?"

"Damn straight you should. I could've been anyone."

Tony didn't argue. He simply stepped aside and said, "C'mon on in, Boss."

Gibbs did.

"We catch a case?" Tony asked, moving quickly into the living room and grabbing a t-shirt from a pile on one of the chairs.

Gibbs did not answer. Instead, he gestured to the pile of clothes and asked, "You packing to go somewhere, DiNozzo?"

"No Boss, I .. um, I was going to do some ironing while I watched the game."

Gibbs raised his eyebrows.

"What?" Tony objected. "I've gotta iron Boss. Can't stand creased clothes. You're a Marine, you should get that."

"I get it Tony," Gibbs commented. "I just never thought you'd do it yourself."

"Well, unless I get a visit from the Laundry Fairy sometime soon, I don't have much choice."

Tony was stuck by the strangeness of standing half dressed in his living room discussing laundry with Gibbs.

He repeated his earlier question. "Did we get a case, Boss?"

Gibbs shook his head.

Tony waited.

Gibbs gestured with his head to the television. '"Who's playing?" he asked.

"Bulls and Jazz, game 6 of 1998".

Gibbs grunted approvingly. Then glanced at Tony. "Mind if I join you?"

Tony started a little then grinned. "Have a seat."

He quickly scooped the clothes from the chair and dumped them back in the laundry.

"Hey Boss, want a beer?" he called, ducking in to the kitchen. He noted with relief that, apart from the ironing, his apartment was reasonably tidy. And he had beer in the fridge. He had no idea why Gibbs was here but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. And if it gave him more to think about over the weekend, well, that was just a bonus.

When he came back into the room he was surprised to see Gibbs sitting on the sofa, not the chair. But he didn't blink as he handed over one of the beers and settled himself on the other end of the couch.

Gibbs extended the neck of the bottle towards him. Tom gave a slight smile as they clinked, and they settled back to watch the game.

It was one of the best matches of all time, and that wasn't just Tony's opinion. Michael Jordan's swansong with the Bulls against a resurgent Jazz was a tightly fought battle that went right down to the wire. Jordan's last second, match-winning 20-foot jump shot was the stuff of legend and every sports-mad child's dream.

But Tony wasn't sure that either he or Gibbs gave the game their full attention. He glanced sideways at Gibbs a few times through the last quarter, only to be disconcerted to find Gibbs glancing back at him. He was no fool – he could read the clues. Something was coming. He had to prepare himself. By the time the game ended, he was ready for the conversation he'd never wanted to have.

"Tony, I need to talk to you about something."

Here it comes, he thought. Which one of them blabbed I wonder?

"I saw the security camera footage."

Okay, no-one blabbed. But Tony couldn't help himself. He would rather say the words himself than hear them from Gibbs. He turned to face Gibbs, one knee bent sideways on the sofa.

"It's okay Boss. I know what you're going to say – that it was just the blood sugar ditch. I know you didn't mean it. I'll forget it ever happened. Not a problem, Boss. I get it."

Gibbs looked at him silently and then moved to mirror his posture so their knees were almost touching.

Tony waited. Why didn't Gibbs speak? Any why was he looking at him like that? What was he thinking? Damn it, why couldn't the man at least give him a hint?

"Is that what I was going to say Tony?"

Well that didn't help. The words and the tone were mild, and there was his first name. So what....?

Gibbs took pity on him.

"I didn't come here to say that. I came...." Gibbs paused and glanced down.

Tony frowned. Gibbs seemed hesitant, uncertain. This wasn't a Gibbs he knew. He didn't have a playbook for this Gibbs.

Gibbs stared fixedly at Tony's knee. Finally he moved. Very slowly he reached out and took Tony's hand in his.

Tony froze as if fearful that any movement would break whatever spell was operating here.

Gibbs ran a calloused thumb across Tony's knuckles.

Then the spell went into overdrive. Gibbs pulled gently on Tony's hand as he leaned towards him. Tony's eyes locked onto Gibbs' lips which, amazingly were getting closer and closer to his own. Then Gibbs kissed him. His lips were soft and wet and tasted of beer. Time slowed and Tony's eyes dropped closed. His whole being, every nerve, every sense registered nothing but Gibbs' lips against his. All Tony could do was return the pressure. He couldn't even breath.

After a second Gibbs drew back and Tony opened his eyes. Gibbs face was inches from his own, head slightly tilted. Their eyes met and Tony drew a slow breath.

"Boss?" he whispered.

Gibbs crooked a little smile. "Yeah Tony?"

"Would you mind doing a blood sugar test for me, just so I know, you know that this isn't....?"

Gibbs chuckled. As an answer he lifted one hand to cup the back of Tony's head. He drew them together and, this time, Tony kissed him back.

FF_1569342_1501250862


End file.
